Empire
by Kristoff7
Summary: This is what I think will happen in Empire. I planned it out, and I am trying to include everything that I think Chris Paolini will in the third installment.
1. Chapter 1

Empire Chapter 1 

A harsh sound broke through the stillness of the large room. Eragon rose out of the pleasant haze that was his sleep, and stood up, calling out to Saphira with his mind, '_Wake up, some one is at the door.' _

Eragon flattened his ruffled tunic, picked up his Elvin made bow, and donned his belt, the belt of Beloth the Wise, with its twelve precious diamonds imbedded in it. He fingered the spot by his side where the hilt of his sword, Zar'roc used rest, and let out a sigh. He had yet to acquire a replacement weapon.

He glanced to the back of the room, where Saphira was stretching, very catlike, from her restful sleep.

He strode over to the door, and pulled it open to see a young page quickly jump to attention, and looking very intimidated, he said, "My lord Sh-Shadeslayer, our e-esteemed leader, that is, the Varden's esteemed leader, mistress Nasuada requests conference with you. I shall lead you to her."

Eragon nodded, and the boy stepped back, faced slightly flushed, and looking quite relieved to be done with his message.

Sighing, Eragon turned back to the room and, seeing that Saphira was ready, he opened the door the rest of the way so that she could squeeze through.

She huffed disapprovingly as she struggled through the threshold. '_Couldn't they give us a room with a more suitable entrance! We must have passed dozens on our way up here that could accommodate me easily.'_

'_We don't want to offend the Varden Saphira,' _Eragon told her steadily, '_but maybe we could ask Nasuada for a change of room, I think she would most likely oblige us.' _

'_They had better,' _Saphira huffed while she got the last of her wings out of the doorway and with a final heave, the rest of her body. She walked past him without looking back, and he could sense her annoyance.

The boy led them across the castle and down a winding staircase, and through more dark and hot corridors, before he arrived in front of a large, wooden door, guarded by no less than twelve soldiers. Eragon knew that they wouldn't let him enter unless permitted, so he waited calmly while Nasuada was notified of his arrival. He casually asked Saphira what she thought the purpose of their visit was. She had come to the same conclusion as he.

'_It's undoubtedly to try to sway you from leaving for Dras Leona with Roran again. As long as she does not order you to stay, it's out of her hands. Besides, _I _am_ _going, and you will too, whether or not I must kidnap you.'_

Eragon chuckled at her reply, '_I would expect nothing less. It's good to see you're on my side with this.' _

She couldn't reply, because the door opening and Nasuada's mistress walked through, interrupting them, "You may come in now."

The guards moved stiffly aside and Eragon led Saphira through the entrance.

After a short hallway, they found themselves in a dark candlelit room. Eragon immediately began to sweat, and wiped his brow upon his sleeve.

They walked up to the large desk in the back of the room, and Eragon greeted Nasuada, who was currently at her desk, examining a parchment on her desk, fanning herself with a palm leaf.

"Greetings Mistress Nasuada, you wanted to see me?"

Nasuada looked up, and replied, "Yes, yes, Eragon, thank you. Do sit down." She gestured a seat.

"Thank you." Eragon sat down. "It's terribly hot, do you mind if I-?"

"No, no, of course not, please do." Nasuada butted in.

Relieved, Eragon muttered a few words in the Ancient Language, and the room dropped several degrees into a comfortable temperature.

Nasuada sighed, and stopped fanning herself. She leaned back in her chair, and clasping her slender hands together, she began, "Well Eragon—and Saphira—I have some important news. There is a plan being put in motion, a plan that will risk many lives, but is of the utmost importance. A plan, I need you, Eragon to lead. Our plan is to steal the remaining egg from Galbatorix. I know that you and Roran will be running off on your harebrained scheme to kill the Ra'zac, but once you return, I am ordering you to be on the team that steals the egg. With Saphira with you, and of course your fighting and magical prowess, you would prove invaluable. Will you do it?"

Saphira snorted, '_Will we do it? I thought that she had ordered us too, or at least you. I don't think she realizes that you will do whatever she commands.' _

'_But the question still is,' _Eragon interrupted, '_whether or not we will do it. I think we must. With the possibility of a new rider on our side, we could put back the hope that was lost when Murtagh was discovered to be the next rider. Also, if Galbatorix were to find another suitor for his egg, our cause would be hopeless.'_

Saphira nodded her head solemnly, and Eragon replied for them, "Yes, lady Nasuada, we will go all the way to Uru'baen and steal the final egg. Nothing will stop us."

Nasuada, for the first time that day, smiled, "Thank you Eragon, but don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to go off with your cousin before the plan will be put in motion. You will, of course be accompanied by the Elf spell weavers that are currently here in Aberon and perhaps a few others when the time comes."

Nasuada straightened her dress, and picking up her parchment, she scanned it a few times for good measure, than recited, "It's written here that the Empire currently has seventy thousand soldiers that survived the battle last week, but we know that they will regain their number of One hundred thousand in a matter of months. But that is only in Southern Alagaesia, they have at least sixty five thousand spread out around the rest of their empire. Those are some very intimidating numbers, especially since we are down to no more than thirty thousand men in Surda – if we can recruit them at a steady rate. With the dwarven allies, that number will most likely change to fifty thousand. Then finally the Elves," she glanced down at her parchment once more, "have about fifteen thousand soldiers. That's about sixty five thousand against one hundred and sixty five thousand.

"These numbers are all estimates, and I haven't added in the Kull allies, and some others, but the point is, none of these numbers matter if you can't kill Galbatorix. No one can stop him. As much as we like to think that the elves could stop him, without you, they can't. It would be impossible for them to all attack him at once, but with you there, you could perhaps lure him to them. But that brings the matter of whether or not you could hold him off at all, when his apprentice, Murtagh, beat you with such ease." She paused. "What we need is for you to continue your training, to learn as much as you can, to become what you are needed to become. We need _you _Eragon to be powerful. _I _need you to be powerful. Powerful enough to kill Murtagh and his cursed master. Can you gain the strength needed, Eragon? When the time comes, will you be ready to face Galbatorix?"

There was a long and profound silence, before Eragon answered simply, "I will try to be, my lady. I will try all I can to be what is needed."

"That is all that I ask. You may leave now."

Eragon stood, and with a small bow of his head, he strode out of the room, an uncommonly quiet Saphira trailing behind him. While at the door though, Nasuada called out, "Oh, and Eragon, I presume that you haven't forgotten Elva or your deal with her."

Eragon stopped, and without looking back replied, "Lady Nasuada, she has hardly left my thoughts day and night. Saphira and I are devising the proper spell to cure her. She _will_ be returned to the girl she once was."

With that said, Eragon continued the rest of the ways to the door, opened it easily, and strode through Saphira at his heel.

After a few minutes of walking, Eragon finally asked Saphira why she was so quiet. Her answer surprised him enough to stop his strides.

'_You have changed Eragon. You are no longer the boy you were but a month ago. You have grown into a strong leader and icon that should be respected. With that position though comes many responsibilities. Make sure you do not shoulder too many. Though Nasuada's council is wise, she knows not everything. I feel that our path is not as clear as she thinks and I don't think she realizes that it would take more than just effort for you to become powerful. We must be wise in our decisions. The only hope we have is not for you to become powerful, but for you and the last rider to become powerful. Only then can we defeat Galbatorix and his servant, your brother.'_

"He's not my brother!" Eragon spat. '_My only brother is Roran.'_

With the conversation ended, they continued around the castle to the main entrance and to the sparing grounds. The entire field was full of soldiers doing drills, sparring, or firing arrows at targets. Eragon observed what he saw carefully. With some more work, it seemed, these soldiers would be quite deadly. Eragon strolled between the fighters, who when noticing him, stopped and bowed. He nodded back to each of them, and they continued to fight. Eragon's eyes scanned the crowd.

'_Where is he, little one?' _

Eragon kept his eyes peeled and replied, '_I'm not sure.' _Eragon spread out his senses, touching the consciousness of every soldier on the field, sorting through them, before he felt the presence he was searching for. Roran was but twenty meters away, examining a weapon from a weapons rack he had passed. Eragon went over to him.

"Roran! Why is it you wanted to meet me here?"

Roran looked up from his sword to Eragon to Saphira, and back to Eragon and replied, "I need you, cousin, to teach me how to fight properly."

Eragon looked at him incredulously. He had never taught anyone anything before, but now, that didn't seem too important. He just thought back to his first lesson with Brom, and said, "Okay Roran, I'll teach you."

Eragon found a discarded sparring sword on the ground, and picking it up, he looked straight into Roran's eyes and cried, "Defend your self!"

The attack came quickly, too quickly, and it smacked Roran upon the shoulder. He leaped back, rubbing massaging it slowly, before jumping forward with a wild swing at Eragon's head. Eragon batted it away as if he were batting a fly, and shot his sword back out connecting it into Roran's stomach.

Roran crouched over with an audible "Ooof" and Eragon stood back to let him recuperate, after a few more minutes of Roran getting beaten around, Eragon slowed down his Elvin speed, and showed him how to do the maneuvers properly. They continued like this until noon, when Eragon and Roran went to dine in a large mess hall with the other soldiers. They had an enjoyable meal and shared some stories of their recent doings. Roran told Eragon how he and the Carvahall villagers crossed the great eye that rested between Beirland and Nia. Eragon was mightily impressed. Eragon explained about his transformation, and how now he had the same super human strength and other senses of an elf. Roran too seemed impressed though he hid it well.

They discussed when they would leave for Dras-Leona and decided that they would depart in six days, so they both had enough time to prepare, and so Eragon would have enough time to cure Elva before he left.

Eragon was sad when they separated at the end of the meal. He went back outside, and met Saphira, outside the castle entrance. He clambered onto her back and they flew up toward their enormous window, and she landed inside the large room. This was the reason for their staying in this room. Nasuada had had her men remove an entire wall so Saphira could fly in and out. There was a curtain that Eragon could pull across to keep bugs or rain out but he often let it stay open.

Eragon sat down, and Saphira and he conversed about the happenings of the empire. There had been some disturbing news given to them that morning. Soon their discussion brought them to what they were going to do if they managed to steal an egg from Galbatorix successfully.

Saphira was telling him, '_we would have to entrust it to someone, so they could get possible contestants to come and see if it would hatch for them. We could do it ourselves, I suppose. It would be easy for us to bring it to Ellesmera and the Elves with us.' _

Eragon agreed, '_Yes, but what if the egg hatch for someone here in Surda? What would we do? Train them ourselves until we could travel to Ellesmera? What would we tell the Varden? It would endanger the rider and Dragon if they were revealed before capable of handling themselves. It would destroy much more than your race if they were to die.'_

Saphira pointed out, '_I suppose we'll have to wait and see what happens.'_

They soon fell into a comfortable silence, and Eragon wondered when their guest, Arya, would arrive. They planned to meet in his room that day and she was late.

Eragon closed his eyes, and spread his senses as far and wide, feeling everything in and around the castle. He was surprised when he felt her consciousness only a minute or so away from him, walking down a long hallway towards his room.

His relief was soon replaced by a small bit of nervousness that he knew stemmed from meeting Arya again. The last time they had talked in private, he had made a complete fool of himself. This time though, he was not under the persuasion of Elvin mead and spells. Taking a deep breath, he went over and opened the door, moments after she knocked on it. When the door opened abruptly, she did not flinch, but navigated around Eragon, and gracefully into the room without hesitation.

When Eragon had closed the door and turned around he greeted her, "Atra esterni ono thelduin."

She replied, "Mor'ranr lifa unin hjarta onr."

"Please sit." Eragon gestured a chair by a desk in a side of the room, and she nodded her thanks, and sat down on its wooden frame.

He moved forward, and sat down in a matching one next to it. Saphira moved closer to them to form a triangle.

'_Well,' _Eragon began, '_I-we asked you here today to help us undo a terrible wrong. Elva – the little girl – the one I cursed. I need you to help me fix her. We need you to help us devise a counter spell to return her to what she once was. Will you help us? Do you think it can be done?'_

Saphira turned her head to examine Arya closely.

Arya chose her words carefully, '_I think we can surly help the girl, but I do not think we can restore her to the normal girl she once was. The best we can do is help refine her abilities and maybe let her be in control of them. If we can do that, not only will she be happier, but she will still be useful to the Varden.'_

Saphira butted it, '_but we don't want her to be used by the Varden! That would be cruel.'_

Eragon agreed. Arya said though, with her soothing mental voice, '_We will need her when she is grown. I do not mean to say that she should be some sort of slave. If she can learn to control her unique abilities she will have a bright future, with wealth and renown almost guarantied. What king wouldn't pay dearly for such a servant? One that can foil assassinations, forecast outcomes of battles, and save many lives with nothing more than a vision. It is surly a curse now, but with my assistance, you can make a gift more precious than the worth of a kingdom if circumstances permit it.'_

Eragon and Saphira relented, recognizing Arya's logic. They spent the next few hours sweating over the Ancient language, trying to make a spell that would be flawless.

Early the next morning, when it was still dark, Eragon was making his way down the long stone corridors. He paced silently, while Saphira's polished claws clacked and grated the floor noisily.

'_Are we going the right way?'_ Saphira asked Eragon.

Eragon nodded the affirmative – he could sense Elva from miles away.

Finally Eragon stopped before a simple wooden door, and knocked three times.

A few moments later, a tired-looking Angela, opened the door. She looked from Eragon to Saphira and stated, "You've finally come for Elva."

Eragon nodded.

"Well come on in then. I say its lucky that wart hook potions can only be created during the first night of full moon, or you two would have wakened my beauty sleep. That would be a moment you wouldn't likely forget. Lucky, but foolish."

Saphira couldn't fir through the door, so she waited out in the hallway. Eragon told her she could watch from his eyes. He turned followed Angela into the apartment.

She led them past a couple rooms full of odd-looking equipment: Beakers and cauldrons of various sizes, multitudes of herbs and plants, various books, and more of the sort. He even saw a large, immobile toad, lying on a table next to several scripts of parchment. Angela stopped at the last door, and gesturing to it, she said, "She's been waiting a long time for you."

Eragon breathed in heavily, and opened the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

Elva was sitting on a short stool, looking blankly out the window. Through it, Eragon could see the warm sun begin to peak its golden crown over the horizon. The light gave and eerie quality to Elva's stone-like features.

Eragon was disturbed out of his silent reverie by a cold, grown-up voice, as it left Elva's mouth, "I hope you haven't just come to stare at me. I get enough of that already."

She turned her head towards him, "Have you come to cure me? Have you come to lift my curse?" Her cold voice turned soft and timid, like a small girls. Eragon was heartened by it.

"Yes, we have come to cure you, to undo what was done."

She nodded, tears in her eyes, and Eragon went to her and embraced her. She sag against him, as if he had just released the weight of the world from her shoulders.

Finally he stood back up. He reached out his consciousness to Saphira, out in the hallway and he shared her magic. He took several calming breaths, and putting his palm upon the girl's forehead, he said in the Ancient Language,

'_May this curse be lifted from you, may you be released from its power, may you be strong in front of your adversaries, and may you love and be loved by all whom are of a good heart'_

Eragon's palm glowed bright, and he slumped forward onto the floor, gasping for air. He saw Elva begin to fall off her seat in front of him. He reached forward and grabbed her limp body before she landed. Still breathless though recovering, Eragon carefully checked to make sure she was still breathing. He was relieved to see her chest rise and fall steadily. She was only sleeping.

Saphira asked worriedly, '_Is she alright?' _

Eragon only nodded, and he lifted her weightless body up and over to her straw bed. He lay her down gently, glad that she was only sleeping and not dead. They had been lucky.

Exhausted, Eragon sat down on the floor next to her, his back against the wall. He closed his eyes, and went into a trance-like state, walking with the shadows of his past, haunting the happy places of his child hood, deep in his visions though still conscious of the world around him.

His eyes shot open at a the sound of Elva moaning. The room was bright; it was about noon. He quickly turned to Elva, who was now sitting up, rubbing her head. She looked at him through questioning eyes, before whispering, "_Did it work?"_

Eragon shrugged, and called out to Saphira, whom he sensed was still in the hallway, '_Saphira? I'm awake now. Elva is too. She seems alright.'_

Saphira hurriedly replied, _'Are you all right? Is Elva cured? What happened?_'

Eragon rubbed his head, _'I'm not sure. We'll see if the curse is lifted soon enough.'_

Eragon examined Elva with his eyes, and asked, "Are you alright?" 

She nodded.

"Do you feel any better?"

Again, she nodded.

"Do you think the spell worked?"

She hesitated. Then, in a voice that surprised Eragon, she answered, "I no longer feel the urges. I feel… normal."

Then, struck with an idea, Eragon stood up abruptly, and raised his fist, when Elva cried out, "Don't do it!"

Eragon, surprised, let his armrest back at his side. He had been about to punch the wall with his fist. He would have undoubtedly hurt himself. She had foreseen the action. She had passed the test.

"You can still see the visions then, can you?"

She paused confused, then shook her head.

"You can't? Try to see them. Focus on the feeling you used to get."

She closed her eyes, and after a moment concentration, she gasped, and her eyes opened wide.

"What happened? Did you see something? "

She nodded vigorously, and her voice, sounding more and more like a little girls, answered, "Yes, in 10 minutes, one of Angela's pots will break and spill a scalding hot liquid on her left arm. I could only see it when I concentrated. It was difficult, but it worked. Though the strange thing is that I feel no urge to go help her other than the fact that she is my friend. Like when you stood up, I wanted to know what you were about to do and I saw you breaking your fist on the wall." She flinched, "But I could have let you done it! I could have! You have freed me!"

She jumped off her bed like the child she was, and jumped onto Eragon, hugging him as tightly as she could. Tears of joy ran freely from her eyes and his began to water. Soon though, he put her down and, holding her small hand, he walked her to the door, and over to the room he sensed Angela was in. He began to knock, but Elva grabbed the handle and burst open the door, revealing an even more tired, but cheerful looking Angela at a desk, her hand poised with a quill, ready to write. When she saw the expression on both Elva and Eragon's faces, she broke out with a large smile.

"You did it! It worked!" She looked to them for conformation and Eragon simply smiled as Elva bobbed her head up and down. Angela got up and came forward, sweeping Elva of her feet.

"We must inform Nasuada." 

Angela, bearing Elva, strode forward, through the main door, and out into the hall with surprising speed.

Eragon leaned his head back, and laughed a true laugh, before following the two of them. Outside the apartments he met Saphira, and they hurried to catch up to the exited companions.

Nasuada seemed very happy and pleased with Eragon's work. "Now, Eragon, you are free to do whatever you wish until your departure with Roran in the next few days."

Eragon responded, "With your permission, I would go to the sparring field where Roran is waiting for me."

She nodded and with a few words of parting from Nasuada, and several words of gratitude from Elva and Angela, he and Saphira left for the Sparring grounds.

He was feeling decidedly chipper, and Roran commented on his good mood, while he was being tutored. Eragon shrugged and answered, "I saved a life today. Such a thing would make most men happy."

Roran snorted and swung his sparring sword at Eragon's head. Eragon lifted his weapon to block it, but Roran swiftly punched his fist forward, toward Eragon's gut. Eragon laughed, "Good improvisation!" as he grabbed Roran's fist and tunic, and threw him to the ground.

'_It was a weak attempt,'_ he thought, but Roran was indeed improving. Roran got up, dusted the dirt from his clothes and jumped right back into fight.

'_He's certainly dedicated,' _Saphira commented. Eragon agreed.

Eragon disarmed Roran with one swift movement.

'_He is talented, though, for one whose had no training.'_

Roran growled and tried to tackle Eragon, who side stepped and tripped him into the ground.

'_I wonder what the rest of the Carvahall villagers are doing. They could join the Varden's ranks. They would be much needed.' _

Roran retrieved his sword, and swung it furiously at Eragon. Eragon parried the blows with incredible grace and ease.

Saphira answered, '_Can any of them fight? Most are just simple farmers.'_

Finally, after relentless pounding at Eragon's unyielding parries he was too tired to continue. He bent over, gasping and sweating profusely. Eragon let his sword rest at his side and turned to Saphira.   
'_None of those villagers are simple farmers after what they've lived through.'_   
Saphira didn't reply.   
Eragon turned to Roran, "I think you're finished for the day. Lets go inside and have some mead."   
Roran nodded, and they weaved through the combatants on the field.   
The mead was good and they had an enjoyable meal of chatting before their discussion turned serious. The hall was extremely loud and crowded and if Saphira had accompanied them inside, they would have surly been approached by a large crowd of gawking soldiers. They needed somewhere quiet to talk, so they went back outside. Climbing upon Saphira's back, she flew them up to her and Eragon's room. Eragon laughed when he felt Roran clasp his arms on his shoulders tightly. Eragon laughed again when noticed how pale Roran looked once they had dismounted. 

They sat down, and once Roran's face had turned slightly less green, they began to converse.

"Well, the question is, what is left to be done. If we needed to, I suppose we could leave tomorrow, though I would have do leave some of the commitments of my position. I hear that there will be a big war council in the next few weeks. I suppose that I would have time to rescue Katrina and come back for it if we left soon. Curing Elva proved an easier task than I had thought. Though if we stay for a few more days, than I could help prepare you for meeting the Ra'zac. The woman you mentioned earlier – the one that wanted to come with us – you managed to convince her to stay with her son, right?"

Roran nodded and Eragon sighed. It was good that she was not coming. They did not need the burden.

"Well, it's true that I still need you to teach me the ways of the sword, but I think I can manage for now. There will be plenty of time for tutoring later. Besides," He slammed his fist onto his knee for emphasis, "Katrina _must _come first. Every day we are apart, every moment…" He paused to regain his composure, "she must be saved." He finalized.

"We leave tomorrow then. No more will she sleep in a cold cell, do not worry. Meet me here at dawn. Make sure to be ready to leave by then."

Early the next morning, Eragon sensed a tired Roran trudging down the to his room. Eragon opened the door for him. Roran was wearing a heavy pack full of supplies, and had an odd hammer like tool inserted into his belt. Eragon helped him tie his pack to Saphira's back, where his already was. He asked Roran one last time if he was ready to leave. Roran nodded the affirmative, and they both clambered onto Saphira's harness, Roran looking extremely uncomfortable, though he did not complain. 

'_Saphira, can you take us to the sparring grounds?' _Eragon asked, '_I need to run an errand.' _

Saphira accepted, and jumped out of the room, hovering for a moment before she flapped her wings and directed them down to the field surrounding the castle.

Roran asked, "Why are we going here? We have no time to spar today! We must rescue Katrina!"

Eragon answered simply, "You and I both need a weapon to fight the Ra'zac. That," he pointed to the hammer tucked into Roran's belt, "will not do."

Roran did not respond, but patted the weapon fondly. He had no intention of getting rid of the weapon that had saved his life and spawned his nickname, Stronghammer.

Eragon went to a nearby weapons rack, and picked out two swords. They weren't exceptional, but the would be sufficient until he could get a proper one. He tied its sheath to his belt, and examining the blade closely, he rested his palm upon it and uttered in the Ancient language, _"May this blade be eternally sharp and strong." _

He repeated this to the other sword, and brought it over to Roran. Roran took it wordlessly, and attached it to his belt.

Eragon mounted Saphira again, and she took off, flying high into the air, the wind whipping their hair wildly.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Saphira's wings beat down powerfully, propelling her and her passengers over the brown plains as fast as an arrow from a bow. The sun was setting in the west, and Eragon and Roran shielded their eyes from its brightness. They had been flying for two days now, and tension was thick between them. Soon, very soon, they would be upon Helgrind and its evil inhabitants, the Ra'zac.

They flew for a few more hours, until, in the distance, Eragon spotted something that made his blood boil. Helgrind stood as dark and menacing as ever, its jutting peaks rearing up from the ground like a trident of the gods. The moonlight reflected of its black surface, making it all the more ominous.

Eragon pointed it out to Saphira and she turned away from it, bringing them a safe distance, so they could go there in the morning. Eragon asked Roran if he could see it, but unlike Eragon, he couldn't. Eragon supposed this was do to his transformation, and marveled that he could now see so easily in the night.

Eragon and Saphira kept a vigilant watch over the camp, none feeling any fatigue. Anticipation was coursing through their veins and it took Roran a long time to fall asleep. The night seemed to stretch an eternity, but slowly, inevitably, the moon sunk into the ground, and the sun rose out of its reverie and into the sky.

Roran woke to the sound of Eragon packing away their belongings. They soon decided to leave their belongings at the site, so they wouldn't be hindered.

A few minutes later, they were on Saphira, making their way to the home of the Ra'zac and their evil steeds.

Helgrind was soon upon them, and Saphira flew low towards it, to not be spotted by inhabitants of Dras-Leona, which it was positioned by. Soon though, Eragon heard shouts below him, and looking down, he noticed many travelers on the road, and farmers in their fields all stopping to gape at the sight. Eragon urged Saphira forward, and they were soon upon Helgrind. Saphira swooped upwards, looking for an entrance. She went in and out of the peaks, clueless as to where the entrance was. The twisting spires were confusing, but finally, on the top of the middle most peak, was a ledge that looked large enough to fit two dragons of Saphira's size. She landed gracefully on it. Roran and Eragon quickly dismounted. The black rock was hard and slippery beneath their feet, and Roran stumbled a bit while clambering off of Saphira's back. Once they had regained their footing, they observed the rock wall in front of them. They felt the wall with their hands for some time, before Roran finally found the entrance. The entire wall was so flat, that it was easy to see there was no handle of lever. Roran found, that while pushing on the wall, it moved forward, though slowly. Eragon began to help him push it forward, and then Saphira joined in. The large door revealed a cave, more than large enough for Saphira to enter and even fly through. They walked in slowly, speaking only in a whisper. Eragon noticed that the ground was slowly declining, and that they were on a slope. He pointed this out to his companions.

Soon the decline became steeper, and they had trouble keeping their footing. It was so dark that Eragon and Saphira could hardly see. Finally, they saw lights ahead of them. They grew brighter with each step, and though they wanted to get there, the slope was now so steep that they were afraid to move. Saphira quickly positioned herself in front of them, and they climbed onto her. Once they were secure, she turned around, and flapping her wings, flew them to the light. At the end of the tunnel, glimmering its warmth on the cave walls, the ground simply gave away, and Saphira found herself flying through a great chamber. The light was coming from torches on the walls. Though the light was faint, they shielded their eyes from it until the sight did not sting them.

Eragon looked around the chamber. He saw no sign of the Ra'zac. He wondered if they slept during the daytime, or if they slept at all. He looked back up to the tunnel that they had just flown from. It must be the entrance for their steeds, he thought.

He asked Saphira, '_Where should we go from here?'_

Saphira answered, '_We need to find Katrina. She must be in one of the cells here. If she isn't, though, our task will become much more difficult.'_

Eragon assured her, '_She is here, I'm sure. Ive seen most of the cells in Uru'baen, and many others – I did not recognize the one she was in. It must be here.'_

'_I hope so.'_

Roran asked Eragon, "Where should we go?"

Eragon spread out his senses, finding all the living beings in Helgrind. He sensed Katrina a few tunnels down from them, in a dark room. He tried to find the Ra'zac, but they must have been elsewhere because he could not.

He gestured to Roran, and they hurried down a dark tunnel, and into another cavern. Not pausing, Eragon led Roran and Saphira through two more tunnels, before entering the correct chamber. Doors lined the small room. Doors, Eragon presumed held the prisoners. Katrina was in the third one to the left. He could sense her clearly, but no other prisoners. He figured that the cells were either unoccupied, or the prisoners had died already.

Taking a calming breath, he raised his right palm to the door lock, and there was a clearly audible click. Roran pushed past him, and wrenched the door open.

Katrina was immobile, her arms clasped over her head, clasped cruelly to a chain fastened to the wall. Her hair was a tangled mess, and there was dried blood on her arms from her wrists, rubbed sore from the metal manacles. Her clothes were shreds, and there streaks on her face from tears, but Roran saw none of this. He ran to her, and embraced her. He heard moan painfully, and her quickly let her go though he kneeled right by her. He tugged at her chains, but they would not break. He yelled at Eragon, "Break these chains! Do it!"

Eragon hurried forward, and said, _"Jierda!"_

The chains broke apart, and she slumped forward. Roran caught her swiftly and held her to his chest. Though she was hardly conscious, Eragon was sure he heard her utter, _"Roran."_

Roran cried, "I'm here, I've come. You're safe now."

He lifted her up in his arms, and told Eragon, "Lets leave this cursed place."

Eragon was about to reply, when something strange happened. A loud guttural cry sounded, breaking the stillness of the room. The screech broke through Eragon and gave him a foreign sense of hopelessness. Roran nearly collapsed such was the effect.

It ended leaving Eragon feeling shaken and weak. Saphira reached out with her mind, giving him strength. He thanked her.

He motioned to Roran that they needed to leave. Roran nodded, and they stumbled out of the cell, still feeling disoriented. Saphira led the way through the dark tunnels. Eragon sensed the Ra'zac now. They were in the main chamber, the one they had first entered. Eragon told Saphira, '_Slow down; we must sneak up on them.'_

He told Roran in a whisper, "The Ra'zac are around the bend. Stay with Katrina, and Saphira and I'll deal with them. Roran nodded, though he looked like he wanted to argue.

The crept as silently as they could, staying in the shadows, until they reached the entrance. Eragon counted to Saphira, '_3… 2… 1… now!'_

They ran forward, and into the chamber. Ra'zac were around the fire, and their mounts were over on the other side, tearing some sort of animal apart for food. They were conversing in the strangest dialect Eragon had ever heard. There were clicks and gurgles and strange noises that no human could pronounce.

Eragon had little time to ponder their language, because as soon as they reached the middle of the cavern, the Ra'zac whipped around. When they saw Eragon and Saphira, they quickly called to their mounts. The two great creatures turned their heads, and screeched. They both took off and flew full speed at Saphira.

Eragon told her, '_Good luck!'_

Saphira reared her mighty head, and shot a thick tongue of fire at the two beasts. They dodged out of the way, and she took flight after them.

Eragon turned his eyes to the two figures stalking him, their swords drawn and glimmering in the flickering light.

He slowly drew his own blade, and poised himself for an attack. It came at once. The two Ra'zac leaped at him slicing their swords through the air fiercely. He dodged one, and parried the other, spinning around to meet them again. They whirled around the chamber, sparks flying, and loud clanks of metal on metal sounding every second. Eragon looked over to the place Roran was hiding, and was glad to see he had remained there. Eragon, suddenly struck by his own stupidity, was about to utter a spell, when he smelt the most acrid odor. The Ra'zac's breath was their most potent weapon.

He faltered, nearly being impaled by one of the Ra'zac's swords. Their breath had made him sluggish, slow. He felt tired, and it was a struggle to move. The Ra'zac's blows seemed much faster and stronger than before. Had he been more human, he would have been paralyzed. Backing away, Eragon tripped over a stone. He fell onto his back, and was about to say a spell in the Ancient Language, when he smelt again, the foul breath. He called out, '_Saphira! I need help!' _But she couldn't come to him, fighting her own fierce battle with her formidable enemies.

Eragon lifted his sword to defend himself, but it was knocked out of his hand. He felt so weak. One of the Ra'zac lifted his sword for the final blow, when an object came hurtling out of a shadowy tunnel.

The hammer struck the Ra'zac on the back, making him cry out in pain. Roran charged forward, blade whirring, and jumped into a battle with the second Ra'zac while the other bent over in pain. Eragon quickly felt his belt, and reached his mind out to the gems in it. He extracted all the magic he had left in it. It was enough to rejuvenate him.

He leaped up, raised his right palm, "Jierda kalfis!"

The Ra'zac that was bent over in pain tumbled over, now holding its broken calf.

Eragon reached down and grabbed his sword. He strode over to the moaning creature, and drove his sword right into its gut. He wrenched it out savagely. He felt a morbid sense of satisfaction, when he felt the presence of the beings life disappear. He could no longer sense it.

Turning, he ran with inhuman speed over to Roran. Saphira was still fighting the two winged beasts, twisting and maneuvering through the air. Every now and then, a blast of flame illuminated the dark chamber like lightning in a thunderstorm.

Roran's fight was going badly. The Ra'zac was strong, too strong. He was lucky to have lasted so long already. He ducked under another blow, and whipped his sword and the monsters head. Again and again his blows would be parried. Roran was becoming exhausted. He needed Eragon.

Eragon made it to Roran's aid just at the right time. Roran had been disarmed, and Ra'zac was swinging his sword at his dodging opponent.

Eragon struck his sword at the Ra'zac with as much strength as could muster. The Ra'zac brought his own up to block it, but it was pushed back into his shoulder because of the force. Eragon followed the attack with another, stronger one. The air whirred with the speed of the blade. The beast could not block it. The blade slashed the Ra'zac's chest. It was a fatal blow, but he was still alive. The Ra'zac's sword fell from his hand as he tumbled to the ground.

Eragon leaned down, placing his hand on the beast's chest, right over the wound. He concentrated, and slowly drained all the energy from the being.

He stepped back, feeling more powerful than ever. He looked up at Saphira, and saw that she now had only one opponent. The other lay in a bloody heap, lifeless.

Victory was close at hand. Eragon raised his arm, _"Brisngr!" _

A jet of blue flames flew from his hand, and curved their way to the flapping beast fighting Saphira. It glowed for a moment, before crying out a horrible cry, and fell down to the cold ground. Eragon sighed. He looked over to Roran, who was retrieving Katrina from where he had left her.

He hurried back, Katrina in his arms, and followed Eragon over to Saphira.

Eragon noticed Roran's hammer on the black floor. He bent down and picked it up. He had been wrong about the weapon. It had saved his life, and it seemed to suit Roran. He turned and handed it to Roran, who thanked him, and hoisting Katrina onto his shoulder, maneuvered it into his belt.

Eragon walked over to Saphira, '_Are you hurt?' _

'_Just a few scratches,' _She replied, '_What about you, little one? I saw you fall. Are you alright?'_

Eragon responded casually, '_It was unlucky. The beast's horrible breath made me clumsy. I forgot to protect myself from it. I should of just killed them with magic, but I wanted the satisfaction of sheathing my sword in its gut.' _

'_Oh well, I managed to defeat the Ra'zac's parents, though they were certainly quick. I was getting quite tired, chasing them and their sharp claws around the chamber.' _

'_Good work,' _Eragon praised.

Eragon climbed onto Saphira's back. While Roran handed him Katrina, he told him, "You fought well, brother. Garrow would have been proud."

Roran responded, "He is now avenged and can rest in peace. Thank you, Brother."

Eragon only nodded. He fastened Katrina to the harness, so she would not fall while Roran climbed up behind him.

When they were ready, Saphira took off. She flew them out the tunnel, and into the bright sunset, Eragon, Roran, and Katrina on her back.


End file.
